Chair



F. LENARD.

CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1915.

1 1 93,802 Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

r/ /xf A I 7 77 v 74 I I 4/ 73 1% FERDINAND LENARID, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS.

CHAIR. I

masses.

Application filed March 13, 1915.

To all whom it may concern.-

following is a specification.

This invention relates to reclining chairs and more particularly tochairs of the Morris type, and has as its object to provide a novelmeans for holding the back of the chair in positions of angularadjustment, which means will be entirely concealed from view and may bemanipulated to permit of adjustment of the back without the necessity ofthe occupant of the chair arising therefrom.

Primarily the invention aims to provide in a chair of the type mentioneda means for supporting the back in various positions of angularadjustment, which means will be substantial and adapted to securely holdthe back and will yet not be exposed to view in such manner as todetract from the appearance of the chair.

1n the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view,illustrating one form of the chair embodying the present invention. Fig.2 is a vertical transverse sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawingsby the same reference characters.

In the drawings, the forward legs of the chair are indicated by thenumeral 1 and the rear legs by the numeral 2, the seat being indicatedat 3 and being of any ordinary'or special construction. The rear legs ofthe chair are connected by a rear cross piece, indicated by the numeral4. The arm rests of the chair are indicated by the numeral 6 and aresupported at their forward ends by the upper ends of the forward legs 1and at their rear ends by the upper ends of the rear legs 2 and also byspaced uprights 7 between which the pawl and segmental rack elements,which are provided for holding the back at positions of angularadjustment, are housed and operate.

The back of the chair is indicated in general by the numeral 8 and maybe of any ordinary construction and the said back is hingedly connectedat its rear end, as at 9, to the upper side of the rear cross piece 4.The back 8 preferably includes in its struc- Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Serial No. 14,167.

ture the side members, indicated specifically by the numeral 10,although if desired the back may be of solid formation. To the forwardside of each of the side members 10 of the back, or.in the event thatthe back is of solid formation to the forward face thereof at each sidethere is secured the chordal side of asubstantially semi-circularsegment 11, one of which segments as willbe presently explained is ofrack formation. This segment may be of wood or metal and, inthe presentinstance, is relatively thick and projects between the spaced uprights 7as clearly shown in F ig. 2 of the drawings. By reference to Fig. 1 itwill be observed that the chordal side of each segment 11 is secured tothe respective side member 10 of the back for a distance substantiallyequal to the upper half of the length of the said chordal side, so thata portion of the segment extends below the lower edge of the back. Asbefore stated, one of the segments 11 is of rack formation, and thisparticular segment is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and isillustrated as formed in its arcuate forwardly presented edge with aseries of sockets 12 of such formation as to define shoulders 13 andinclined walls 14:, the sockets being preferably closed at their sides.At this point it will be understood however that if desired the segments11 may be formed relatively thin and that the one which is of rackformation may have its rack teeth or socket extend the entire width ofthe arcuate edge thereof. It will further be apparent by reference toFig. 1, that the arcuate edge of each segment is concentric to the pointat which the back is to be angularly adjusted upon its hinges 9, and itwill be apparent that as the back is swung upwardly or downwardly andrearwardly, the segments 11 will be correspondingly moved.

In order that the back may be held at various positions of angularadjustment, a pawl is provided for cooperation with that segment whichis of the rack formation. The pawl comprises a body portion 15 pivotedat its rear and upper side, as at 16, be-

vided at its lower rear side with a tooth 18 having a rounded edgeportion 19 and a straight or abrupt edge portion-20, the pawl normallyresting by gravity with the straight portion of its tooth 18 engagingagainst the abrupt wall or shoulder 20 of one or an! other of thesockets 12 in the arcuate edge of the segmental rack, and it will beapparent that by reason of this cooperation of the pawl with the rack,the back of the chair will be held in the position to which it has beenadjusted. When it is desired to tilt the back rearwardly, the pawl isrocked upon its pivot so as to move its tooth 18 up out of cooperativeengagement with the rack, as will be readily understood. \Vhen it isdesired to adjust the back by swinging the same, forwardly or towardupright position, this may be accomplished merely byso moving the backupon its hinges, inasmuch as the inclined walls 14L of the sockets12will ride over the rounded edge 19 of the tooth 18, and the tooth willautomatically successively engage in the sockets as the arouate edge ofthe rack rides past the said tooth. It will be understood that thesegments 11 may be concealed either by having the uprights 7 extendsufiiciently far rearwardly to lie at the opposite sides of the segmentseven when the back has been swung substantially to the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, or suitable upholstering mayserve to conceal the seg ments. It will further be observed by.reference to Fig. 1, that the forward end of the finger 17 projects buta short distance beyond the forward end of the uprights 7 and isconcealed in part by the arm rest beneath which it extends and, ifdesired, in

the under side of the arm rest may be formed 7 with a recess 21. It willfurther be understood that while it is herein stated that but one of thesegments is of rack formation, both of the segments may be soconstructed or formed if desired.

'Having thus described the invention, what i is claimed as new is:

In a chair of the class described, a frame 7 having a rear cross piece,a backhingedly connected with the said cross piece, the

frame including an armrest, a segment secured-to the forward side of theback and having the mid point of its chordal side located substantiallyin registration with the hinge connecting the back with the cross piece,the arcuate side of the segment being presented forwardly and beingprovided with a series of rack teeth,'anda pawl comprising a platepivotally mounted at its rear upper corner. beneath the arm rest andhaving its rear edge inclined downwardly and forwardly and provided atits lower end'at its said rear edge with a rearwardly extending toothfor coaction with the said rack FERDINAND LENARD.

lVitnesses PETER KIERDORF, NIoKLos FEID.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

